Jalapeno-Lime Shrimp (Smoke & Spice)
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Jalapeno-Lime Marinade
1/3 cup pickled jalapeno slices
¼ cup pickling liquid from jar or can of pickled jalapenos
Juice of 2 limes
4 Tablespoons corn oil, preferably unrefined
3 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Jalapeno-Lime Mop
Remaining Jalapeno-Lime Marinade
½ cup seafood or chicken stock
Juice of 1 lime
Slices of fresh red jalapeno or other red chile, for garnish (optional)
Puree the marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Place the shrimp in a shallow, nonreactive dish or plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the shrimp and let the shrimp marinate at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
Prepare your Hasty-Bake to cook with indirect heat (with the heat deflector in place over the coals), bringing the temperature to 180 to 200°F.
Drain the shrimp from the marinade, pouring the marinade into a saucepan. Add the stock and additional lime juice to the remaining marinade for the mop. Bring the liquid to a vigorous boil over high heat and boil for several minutes. Keep the mop warm over low heat.
Place the shrimp on a small grill rack and baste liberally with the mop. Transfer the shrimp to your Hasty-Bake. The shrimp should cook in approximately 25 minutes, but watch them carefully. They are ready when opaque, slightly firm, and lightly pink on the exterior. Remove the shrimp from the grill and mop them heavily again. Place the shrimp on a platter, scatter the red chiles over them, if you wish, and serve.
T-Shirt Fish
Go fishing and get lucky enough to pull out a few 10 ounce to 1 pound trout, salmon or other fish, or just go buy some at a good fish store. Gut each fish and season with salt, pepper and lemon.
Prepare a hot bed of coals in your Hasty-Bake.
Get rid of an old t-shirt, but save the cleaned and bleached relic for its final sacrifice. Soak the shirt in salt water to remove any impurities. Rinse and machine dry.
Buy some dill or fennel grass, about ½ to 1 ½ pounds. Spread it out onto the t-shirt and top with the fish. Put a branch of celery, carrot and/or onion in the cavity for seasoning. Roll the fish up in the herbs and t-shirt and tie with a string. Brush the whole t-shirt with oil. Set it to smoke directly on the live coals. The t-shirt will catch fire. Close the lid of your Hasty-Bake and allow the package to smolder.
Flip the fish once after 4 to 5 minutes. Remove after 10 minutes with the assistance of 2 spatulas. Allow the fish to cool overnight.
The fish technically steams in the herb and cotton jacket, but gains the smoke from the fire. It handles best when cold.
Peel off the t-shirt and herb wrap and discard. Separate the skin from the flesh. Pick out the bones and fins.
Serve the fish with a light green salad with boiled potatoes, lemon dressing and olive oil.
Tasty Satay Tuna (Smoke & Spice)
4 tuna steaks, each approximately 1 inch thick
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Paste
¼ cup peanut oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons minced fresh mint
1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
Lemon wedges for garnish (optional)
In a food processor, process the paste ingredients to a thick puree. Rub the paste over the tuna steaks. Wrap the tuna in plastic and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Prepare your Hasty-Bake to cook with indirect heat (with the heat deflector in place over the coals), bringing the temperature to 225 to 250°F. In the kitchen, warm a skillet over high heat and sprinkle in the salt. Add the steaks and sear them quickly on both sides. Transfer the steaks to the Hasty-Bake. Cook them until medium rare (still a pink tint to its warmed through interior, an internal temperature of 130 to 135°F), about 15 minutes. Avoid overcooking the tuna. Serve hot, garnished with lemons if you wish.
Scallops in Balsamic Vinegar (Smoke & Spice)
Marinade:
½ cup inexpensive balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 plump garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ pounds sea scallops
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
Coarse salt to taste
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place the scallops in a nonreactive dish or plastic bag and pour the marinade over them. Marinate the scallops at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Prepare your Hasty-Bake to cook with indirect heat (with the heat deflector in place over the coals), bringing the temperature to 225 to 250°F.
Drain the marinade into a small saucepan. Arrange the scallops on a small grill rack, grill basket or piece of heavy-duty foil and transfer them to your Hasty-Bake. Smoke them until opaque and just barely cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
While the scallops cook, boil the marinade over high heat for several minutes, reducing it until syrupy.
Toss the scallops in a bowl with the oil. Add the basil and salt and toss again. Drizzle some of the reduced marinade into the scallops, 1 or 2 teaspoons at a time, until it just complements but doesn't mask the scallops' sweetness. Spoon the scallops on individual plates and serve.
